Australia is famous for its golden beaches, oceanic weather, spectacular wildlife, stunning landscape, and of course it’s outstanding educational institutions. It comes as no surprise that this country stands as one of the most popular study destinations of the world. Students from India, China, Philippines, and a lot of other countries come to study and live here.

To see into which cities are the most student-friendly in Australia, we looked at the 2017-18 QS world rankings, amongst other things, of the best Australian student cities. And here’s what we found:

World Rank

Student City in Australia

5

Melbourne

13

Sydney

20

Brisbane

22

Canberra

44

Adelaide

50

Perth

78

Gold Coast

(Source: Top Universities)

Melbourne

Australia’s second-largest city, Melbourne, has frequently been named as one of the most liveable cities in the world. Let’s look at the reasons why:

This city is one of the most diverse ones, in terms of both its people and economy.

Many of the largest business organizations of the country are headquartered in this city.

There are 8 world-class universities based in Melbourne, giving students a wide range of education choices.

Referred to as the country’s sporting and cultural capital, students here get ample options in terms of career as well as recreation.

Students find a host of cafes, restaurants, malls, beaches, and such to hang out.

Then there are sporting events too, like the Australian Open, and Formula One Racing.

Some of the unique attractions include the piers of the Mornington Peninsula where one can swim with seahorses, Port Phillip Bay where you can see penguins, and the likes.

A high standard of living and an enviable academic life that Melbourne offers, it also costs a bit too much. Here’s a report on the latest data, on yearly expenditure of undergraduate international students to give you an idea of the cost of living in this city:

Sydney

The city that boasts of the largest economy in the country, Sydney is witness to thousands of students coming every year to fulfil their dreams from around the globe. Let’s see some of the things that make Sydney such a desirable student city:

A high standard of living and a high employability rate – these features combine to give this city a really high quality of life.

Featuring no less than 5 internationally recognized universities, Sydney has no dearth of options in terms of education.

Also referred to as the financial centre of Australia, many of the largest organizations of the country are based out of Sydney.

The city’s culture comes alive through its museums, theatres, and concerts.

Housing koala bears and wild populations of kangaroos, beautiful beaches and a lot of green spaces, one just can’t miss out on this city’s rich nature and wildlife.

Known for being the most expensive city of the country, here’s a preview of an average cost of living in Sydney:

Brisbane

Brisbane, also known as a ‘new-world’ city, houses a truly wide and thriving multicultural environment. But, what else makes Brisbane list on the top 100 student cities in the world? Let’s have a see:

This one’s the third most populous city of Australia, with the international students and tourists forming a big part of its multicultural society.

Brisbane is home to some of the best universities, with at least 4 featuring in the top 100 across the world. And offering about 9000 courses at the Bachelor, Master and PhD level is no mean feat at all!

The city has a prominent art, and sports scene that includes a multitude of cultural and water sporting events that take place here.

Some of the unique experiences that you can expect to be a part of are the Annual Buddha Birthday Festival, its Moreton Bay and Islands, and the chance to fly over the city in a hot air balloon.

With low tuition fee and great accommodation available at reasonable costs, Brisbane is known for being an affordable city for students. Here’s a table that shows the average cost of living in Brisbane, as according to the latest data:

Canberra

The capital city of Australia has its name derived from the word ‘canberry’, literally meaning a ‘meeting place’. And it really is a place that sees the convergence of a different people, and various cultures. But what makes it great in terms of being student-friendly? Let’s have a look:

While Canberra is not too large a city, it never seems overcrowded. One doesn’t usually come across any traffic jams here.

But even though it’s a small city –it’s nevertheless an interesting place to be.

Local universities of Canberra, two of which have a top global ranking, see a yearly student intake in tens of thousands, with about a fourth of them being from foreign countries.

There are many places and activities that are exclusive in their attraction to Canberra – like the Captain James Cook Memorial, the annual Barassi International Australian Football Youth Tournament, a man-made lake right in the city centre, and various nature reserves.

Costly in general, but economical in comparison to say Sydney and Melbourne, this is the estimated weekly cost for a student living off the campus in Canberra:

A more quiet and isolated city, compared to others, this one is known for its beaches and amazing parklands.

A city that’s growing at a great pace, and offering its students newer opportunities with passing times, it’s also important to have a decent idea of how expensive it really is for a student living off the campus in this city:

Gold Coast

One of the most popular tourist destinations of Australia, Gold Coast is also increasingly becoming one of the most loved cities by the student population there. So, let’s take a look at what makes Gold Coast so special:

This city is known for its sprawling beaches, amazing waterways, and sub-tropical climate.

One of the best things about this city is its weather – especially during the academic months. The pleasant climate is definitely an attraction for the students coming here.

A few of the most prestigious universities of the country are housed in this city.

Students find a lot of options in terms of visiting theme parks, bushwalking, and city entertainment.

Students find Gold Coast a bit cheaper compared to many other cities, and here’s some latest data that shows the average cost of living for a student living here:

We also feel that a couple of the student cities in Australia do deserve an honourable mention!

So here they are:

Wollongong

Fondly called, ‘the Gong’, this city is known for its golden beaches, a temperate weather, and an easy lifestyle.

This is one of the most liveable small cities in Australia,

With the Royal National Park to the north and, Lake Illawarra to the south, Wollongong houses a picturesque landscape.

With one of the top universities here, many international students dream of making their career in this city.

Hobart

Hobart is the capital of Tasmania - Australia’s island state.

Majority of students in Tasmania, study from Hobart.

It witnesses cool and temperate climate, with rarely seen snowfall and deep frosts.

Good accommodation and transport services make this city quite student-friendly.

With a lot of restaurants, and cafes, students have numerous options to meet or hang out.

Most of the houses here are on the hillsides, with superb view of the harbour – it makes Hobart one beautiful city to live in.

We call a city perfect for its students, because of its exceptional education system, safe environment, amazing people, and unique recreational activities. And based on these parameters, Australia is definitely a rich country with a lot of cities setting a bar for being ideally student-centric.

With so many options to sieve through, we hope we could help you pinpoint the city of your choice. Next, you can check out our other blog post giving an overview of the Australian universities that feature amongst the best around the world.

Further, if you are looking to tap the opportunity to Settle in Australia, then the Registered Migration Agents at Aussizz Group can provide you with appropriate assistance. You can reach us on call, e-mail or visit